


The Far Side

by Ellenthered



Category: Storm Hawks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 13:23:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1186910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellenthered/pseuds/Ellenthered
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Storm Hawks have made it to the Far Side of the Atmos in their never ending quest to stop Master Cyclonis but when they stop for repairs, a young girl by the name of Bam sneaks on to the Condor and takes Piper hostage, demanding the Forever Crystal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

A young girl, about 16 years of age, with long black hair pulled in to a low ponytail, and ice blue eyes, dropped in to a storage compartment of the Storm Hawks ship, The Condor. Her full first name was Bambino Di Canzoni, though she preferred to be called Bam, and she had no last name. She had sneaked on to the Condor to steal something powerful, something very powerful.

"This is almost too easy." Bam said peeking around the door and seeing an unoccupied hallway, "They don't even have people doing patrols." Bam stood in the middle of the hallway with her hands on her hips, and a smile on her face. "But then again, you can never be to careful."

Bam walked to the end of the hall in the fashion she was taught, she never made a sound, she also didn't see anyone until the blond ones, Finn, room.

"Finn! How many times do I have to tell you NOT to leave your dirty socks around the ship!" The girl, Piper, was pounding her fist on the door. "I know you're in there Finn! Finn!"

"Perfect." Bam said under her breath, "Just perfect." Bam pressed her back up against the wall and closed her eyes, the magic she used was unstable at best and deadly at worst. "Concentrate on your wish and let it happen." As Ban concentrated her body slowly disappeared. Piper kept yelling and and eventually Finn came out and started yelling back.

"I wonder if this is how siblings act?"

Bam thought.

"Piper? Finn? What are you guys doing?"

The red haired young man, Aerrow, had shown up. So this was the young leader from the other side, he didn't look like any type of hero just a normal teenager. Except of course for the...creature on his back. Bam, just like the rest of the country had only just heard about these teenage heroes, supposedly from the other side of the world. They didn't act like they were from this side, and they certainly didn't fight like it. The people of Bam's world didn't use crystals as the main source of fighting power but used them as a amplifier of their own magic, but these Storm Hawks didn't use magic of any kind only crystals. It was this fact that convince many people that they were indeed from the others side, but not Bam, for her there was nothing on the other side, only darkness.

"Aerrow your the leader, make Finn stop leaving his disgusting socks all over the ship!"

Piper said glaring at Finn.

"Piper, do you really think that, that would stop him?"

Aerrow laughed as Finn nodded.

"No I suppose not."

Piper said stepping away from Finn at last.

"Finally!"

Bam though as Finn, Piper and Aerrow walked away, she let the magic dissipate and stepped away from the wall but a single sentence from Aerrow stopped her cold.

"Come on Piper cheer up, Stork says that we can go sooner then he originally thought."

Bam's eyes shot open wide.

"They were leaving earlier, how much earlier? Come on Piper ask!"

Bam thought starting to panic.

"How much earlier?"

Piper asked as if she had heard Bam's thought.

"In a mere ten minuets, that is unless some new horrible monster from this side attacks."

A tall young man with green skin and pointy ears was walking down the hall.

"So Stork, Aerrow, Piper, Radarr, and Finn are all in this hall and who knew where the big guy is. But this could be my only chance to get it."

Bam took a silent breath and pulled two things from her shoulder bag, one was a half mask, which she pulled over her mouth, and the other a long, cruel, knife. Bam let the magic flow in to her limbs once more but instead of disappearing she became fast, with in half a second she had Piper away from the group with the knife at her throaty

"Piper!"

Finn and Aerrow cried out at the same time while Stork hid behind Finn.

"Let her go!"

Aerrow demanded.

"Now, now, lets not get ahead of ourselves. Don't worry your little girl friend will be fine as long as you all do exactly as I say.


	2. Chapter Two

"Let Piper go."

Aerrow's rage was written clearly across his face.

"I told you if you do as I say your little friend will be just fine."

"What do you want?"

Piper asked and Bam had to admire the fact that her voice was strong.

"It's simple really, I want the Forever Crystal."

Bam felt Piper stiffen, so she knew of it, but did she have it.

"The Forever Crystal? What's the Forever Crystal?"

Finn asked.

"The Forever Crystal is a very powerful crystal, so powerful it is supposed to be able to make a person immortal."

"Or take immortality away."

Bam said smiling slightly.

"But it's just a myth, the Forever Crystal doesn't exist. And even if it did exist, it couldn't possibly do all the things the legends say it does. No crystal can."

"Maybe over on the "other side" they can't but around here...who really knows. We don't use crystals like you do."

Aerrow and Finn took a step closer and Bam took a step back.

"Not so fast Sky Knight." Bam pressed the knife a little harder against Pipers neck, Piper let out a small squeak. "Don't think for even a second that I won't kill her."

Bam tilted her head to the side and smiled like a devil.

"You'll be out before you hit the ground."

Finn growled, pulling out his cross bow.

"Maybe. But while I will just be unconscious your friend will be dead. Honestly I don't think that it is a good incentive to let her go."

"I'll give you an incentive." Aerrow took another step forward, pulling his twin blades off his back, their glow added a blue tint to the lighting of the small hallway. "Let Piper go. Now!"

"Well, well, no wonder you are the leader. Tweedledee and Tweedledum over there couldn't think of an effective plan if their lives depended on it."

Bam nodded at Finn and Stork.

"Aerrow, it's okay." Piper cried out. "Listen I don't have a Forever Crystal, if you don't believe me we can go to my room and you can see for yourself."

"And how do I know that you are not hiding it somewhere else one the ship?

"You can search the ship."

"Umm. If I may say something?" Stork came out from behind Finn. "Why do we have to let her wander around the Condor?"

"Stork! Pipers life is at stake!"

Finn said, looking at the pilot with a deep seeded confusion in his eyes.

"Stork don't worry I'll be with her the entire time."

Piper said trying convey her plan to Aerrow with just her voice and eyes. And apparently he understood it.

"We all will." Bam tried to disagree but Aerrow cut her off. "That's the deal, take its or get off our ship."

Bam smiled.

"This one has guts."

She thought but said,

"Fine."

Bam pushed Piper away from her and she stumbled into Aerrow's arms.

"You okay?"

Aerrow asked.

"Yeah I'm fine." Piper turned to face Bam. "Why would you let me go."

"It's easier to search if you have both of your hands free. Now take me to the crystal, and you," Bam pointed at Aerrow. "Try anything and she dies first."

Bam flipped the knife so that she was holding the blade and slipped it back into her bag.

Aerrow glared at her but sheathed his blades and motioned for Finn to put away his cross bow.

"There the weapons are put away. Happy."

"Never. Piper if you would lead the way."

Piper and Bam were inside Pipers room and the four boys, Junko had joined them along the way, were waiting out side.

"Why don't we just take her out, I mean there is four of us and only one of her."

Finn whispered pointing at the door.

"Finn, only the three of you will be fighting, if I fight it will spell certain doom."

Stork said creepily.

"Fine three of us, but still its enough to take one person out!"

"Finn we can't, she could kill Piper."

"Oh yeah..."

A loud crash and an exasperated cry sounded from inside the room.

"Where is it!"

The door opened and Piper came out first, the point of Bam's knife pointed squarely at the small of her back.

"I told you that I don't have a Forever Crystal!"

"Whatever. All of you walk, time to search the ship."


	3. Chapter Three

The Storm Hawks watched as the girl who had threatened Pipers life went from room to room searching for this mysterious crystal. Piper had told the others her plan in a hushed voice, hopping that the girl wouldn't hear it. She explained that she didn't have the Forever Crystal and figured that once the girl figured that out she would either leave the ship as quickly as possible or, as Stork put it, kill them in a horrible fashion. So Piper figured that if they had her search the hanger last then they would have the best chance of catching her if she ran and beating her if she didn't. And Piper was sure that they could beat her.

But all of this was before Bam started showing a small bit of her personality. When they entered Pipers crystal lab, Bam was in wonder. She had never seen so many crystals and while she searched she asked what each one did. Piper answered every question, confused but the girls action. When she searched Junkos room she showed a surprising knowledge of machines, Junko of course was happy to answer all her questions, but like Piper was confused. Once in Finn's room Bam played a small tune on his guitar, and after she put the guitar down she continued to hum the tune. Bam earned Storks eternal respect through one simple comment.

"I am surprised at the good condition of this ship, considering its age."

Stork was next to her in an instant telling Bam about all the repairs and upgrade he had made to the Condor.

"And even though this isn't the original Condor but she carries the spirit of the original Condor."

Stork finished, and he seemed proud of the explanation he had given. But Aerrow had something different to say to Bam.

"How do you know how old the Condor is?"

"Oh I know everything about the Storm Hawks."

"But how?"

"Because I do."

Was all Bam would say and eventually Aerrow stopped asking. Soon they were in the hanger and and Piper saw the guys get ready to put her plan in to action. As she stood near Stork he seemed to read her thoughts.

"Having second thoughts about this plan?"

"Wha...yeah. How did you guess?"

"Its written all over your face Piper."

He said simply.

"It just doesn't seem right to attack her now. She doesn't seem like a harden thief slash killer to me anymore."

"Well she could have hyperion fever, it force you to commit crimes before killing you in the most horrible way possible."

Stork smiled like he always did when he talked of dieing in "the most horrible way possible."

Piper chuckled.

"Maybe."

"But if she does have it that means that we all could have have it!" Stork realized a look of horror transforming his features. "I think I have the antidote some where around here."

Piper watched as Stork walked off to search though some boxes that Bam had already searched through and smiled. Stork was a good pilot, but sometimes his paranoia was a bit much.

Soon the preparation for Pipers plan were ready and quickly after Bam had finished searching, she hadn't found the crystal she was looking for. She bent her back and screamed at the ceiling, then stood there breathing deeply. Aerrow stepped in front of Piper, just in case Bam charged them. But Bam did not charge them and she did not run, in fact she went to the nearest wall and leaned her back against it. Her strength seemed to leave her and she slid to the ground, crossing her arms across her knees and bowing her head. The Storm Hawks waited in silence, was she going to attack, was she going to leave? Were they going to fly of fight? They could only wait, tense and ready for anything. It wasn't long before Piper realized that the girl was saying something, over and over. She tried to step out from behind Aerrow and got as far as his shoulder before he grabbed her hand. She felt the same jolt of electricity that she felt when every her touched her.

"Piper, don't"

Aerrow had also realized that Bam was saying something and even though he was curious he wasn't going to risk Piper getting hurt because of it. She had been hurt to many times because of his mistakes. He reached out and grabbed Pipers hand, feeling the now familiar tingles that went along with being with Piper.

"Piper, don't."

He said not taking his eyes of the girl who had invaded the Condor.

"Aerrow its okay, I don't think she's a threat anymore."

"I know you don't but let me go, okay?"

Piper looked up in to the emerald eyes of her friend, eyes that only just turned to look at her. She didn't want to send him in to danger just as he didn't want to send her.

"Okay, but be careful."

Aerrow took his blades off his back and smiled.

"Aren't I always?"

Aerrow walk slowly towards Bam, not activating his blades. He was almost next to her when he finally under stood what she was saying."

"This was my last chance. My very last chance. Everyone, I'm sorry. I am so sorry."


	4. Chapter Four

"This was my last chance. My very last chance. Everyone, I'm sorry. I am so sorry."

Bam repeated this over and over, ignoring the Storm Hawks and her surroundings. Aerrow put his blades back on his back and took a step back, he did not know how to react to this. Piper seeing his hesitation she walked past him, sat down next to Bam and put her arm around Bam's shoulder.

"Don't!" Bam stood up, and stepped away from Piper. Aerrow put one hand on one of his blades ready just in case Bam decided to go on the attack once more. "Oh cool your jets Sky Knight. I now know that what I am looking for is not here and as such I will leave you to your trivial hero business."

Bam slowly backed up, Aerrow and Finn walked forward weapons drawn.

"You're not going anywhere."

Finn said leveling his cross bow at Bam's chest.

"Oh I think I am."

By this time Bam had made her way out of hanger bay and out on to the landing deck. She gave them one last smile and jumped off the edge.

Piper stayed where she was, sitting against the wall of the ship, while Aerrow, Finn, and Junko went out looking for the girl. Something about the girl had changed during the time it took her to search the ship, she had gone from someone with no heart a person willing to kill to get what she wanted to a young girl who was unable reconcile with something that scared her. Something or someone forced her to feel like she needed the Forever Crystal to save the people she cared about.

"She's fast I'll give her that."

Aerrow said as he Finn and Junko came back into the hanger bay.

"You couldn't find her?"

"No, it's like she disappeared."

"Maybe she's a ninja!"

Finn said, trying and failing to do a jump kick.

Aerrow and Piper just stared at Finn as he lay on the floor, his feet bent over his head.

"Finn for some reason I don't think that's it."

Aerrow said pulling Piper up off the floor. Piper.

"No she has to be! Did you see the mask and the knife! Add in the speed and the fact that she didn't trip any of Storks sensors...She's totally a ninja!" Finn said pushing himself up off the ground. Aerrow and Piper look at their team mate, then at each other and laughed. "What? She has to be a ninja!"

Finn kept up his constant insisting that the girl was indeed a ninja right up into the flight deck where he brought the issue up with Stork.

"Stork, tell Aerrow and Piper that the girl didn't trip any of your systems or traps."

"She didn't, trust me we would know if she did! And so would she."

Stork answered in his usual creepy manner.

"See! How could anyone get past Stork's systems and not be a ninja!"

"Oh she's not a ninja." Stork said. "More likely she's a swamp changing. They imitate a person and then they go through the family and friends of their victim, picking them off one by one."

The Storm Hawks stared at their pilot with looks of worry.

"Stork I don't think that's what she was either."

Aerrow said laughing slightly.

"Hm, what ever make's it easier for you to sleep at night. I for one will be taking a half eaten lava pear from the waste lands to my room tonight."

No one questioned Storks strange methods anymore, they had long since gotten used to Stork strange ideas.

"I just want to know why she wanted the Forever Crystal."

"Ha! The Forever Crystal! It's a myth, a story crystal scientist came up with! There is no such thing!"

"She sure seemed to think so."

Finn said, checking he reflection in the window.

"I don't care what she thought Finn, it can't possibly exist! A crystal that grants eternal life, I don't think so!"

"Piper could you tell those of us who don't study crystals just what a Forever Crystal does?"

Aerrow asked, sitting down at the table.

"Well it does just what the name says it does, it makes things last forever. Supposedly this crystal when used correctly can give a person forever anything."

"And by anything you mean?"

Junko asked.

"Anything. It can give you forever of anything. Wealth, fame, power, love, beauty, some say it can even give you forever life."

"They say it could make you immortal?"

Aerrow said, skepticism coloring his words.

"Well yes, and that is why it can't possibly be real. Nothing could make a person immortal, not even a crystal."

Piper sat down next to Aerrow and put her head down on the table.

"Piper you know that people around here use crystals differently then we do, so maybe they could get a crystal to work like the way the Forever Crystal is suppose to."

Aerrow said placing a hand on Piper's back.

"Aerrow even with their method of using crystals, nothing could make a person immortal. It's absolutely impossible to make a human's body last forever."

"Does it actually make the body last forever?"

"That's what the legend says. That when the forever crystal is used on a human body, the body will never decay and never die. But that's not possible!"

"I wouldn't mind having forever wealth...or maybe forever fame...I wouldn't need forever beauty, I already have it!"

Finn said, still checking himself out.

"Could it make Finn be forever quite?"

Stork asked.


	5. Chapter Five

Bam made her way back in the small town where she had grown up, letting the motorcycle that she had made over the last ten years of her life glided silently along side her as she walked it into the small hut in which she lived. Bam spent the next hour hiding the motorcycle from any officials that might decide to pay a visit. It was against every law possible for citizens to have transport, the town was a mining town ruled over by a single man. He made the rules and you stuck to them, that was the way things worked in the small town of Kamani and for the first six and a half years of her life Bam followed the rules but then they came, the strangers. They fell from the sky and landed in the old mines, hurt and completely different from anyone Bam had ever met. They knew nothing of this world and when they spoke of where they came from it seemed dark, but they seemed to miss it.

"Bambino Do Canzoni. It is time for an inspection." Some one yelled through Bam's door, Bam sighed and put down her work. "Open this door."

"All right, all right, I'm coming." Bam sighed and opened the door to see two very official men standing shoulder to should. "Yes?"

"We are here for an inspection."

"Yeah I got that."

"You will treat us will respect!"

"Yeah, yeah. Well are you going to inspect or just stand there?"

Bam moved aside and gestured for them to come in. The two men walked around the one room hut, looking for anything that might suggest that Bam had broken the rules.

"There is a rumor going around that you make frequent trips into the old mines."

"There is also a rumor making rounds that I am really a man. Now you can see quite clearly that I am not."

Bam said as one of the men went through her makeshift dresser.

"Indeed."

Bam watched from the door as the men went through her entire life, not even stiffing as the walked over where she had hidden the motorcycle under the floor boards. The two men spent half an hour inspecting Bam's hut.

"It seam's that everything is in order."

"Okay, then if you could leave, I have to get ready for my shift."

The two men walked to the door and as the left one turned and said.

"Just a warning. The hero's from the other side are in the area and if they come to our town all citizens are to be on their best behavior. If they are not, they shall receive the full punishment."

"Dully noted."

Bam said shutting the door.

The Storm Hawks did indeed come to the small town of Kamani, Aerrow and Piper figured that the girl who had attacked them lived nearby and as the only town near by was Kamani. As they walked through the town and saw the misery and squalor that the people lived in Aerrow said.

"I wonder just what these people go through."

Piper looked at one of the houses and saw a child peaking through the windows, a hand pulled the child away and shut the blinds.

"It's like a terra controlled by Cyclonis."

"Come on, we need to know if anyone knows that girl."

The Storm Hawks made there way into the center of town and stopped at the sight of Town Hall. It was completely different from the rest of the town, instead of being run down and dirty it gleamed with marble and gold.

"That's...that's...that's."

Aerrow couldn't think of a word to describe the sight.

"That young man is Town Hall." The Storm Hawks turned to see a short fat man in a very nice suit standing behind them. "And you must be the Storm Hawks. Oh it is a pleasure to meet you!" The man came forward and shook each of there hands. "I am the Mayor of this town, Mayor Kander."

"Uh. Nice to meet you Mayor Kander. I'm Aerrow, that's Piper, Finn, Stork, Junko, and this is Radarr."

"Oh I know who you are!" Kander laughed. "Now why don't we go into Town Hall, it is also my home, and get out of this...squalor."

The Mayor took Aerrow by the elbow and all but forced him into Town Hall.

"Mayor I was just wondering, why is it that every other building is falling apart and this building is overflowing with riches?"

Aerrow asked as he was being served an enormous quantity of food.

"Well they don't deserve this do they? All they do is work in the filthy mines." The mayor said cutting in to his steak. "Well what are you waiting for? Eat up! There is plenty to go around!"

"Well we saw some people in town and they looked like they could use some food, Sir."

Piper said looking in awe at the amount of food she had been given.

"You saw some one?" Piper nodded and the mayor waved over a guard. "Find whoever it was and punish them." The Mayor whispered just loud enough for the Storm Hawks to hear "Anyway young lady, I'm sure they do. But they get what they work for, that's the way it works around here."

"Well you must work very hard to get all this."

"Me? Work? No I don't think so. I am the mayor you see, it is for other people to work."

"Well then why do you have more food then them?"

"Young lady you don't seem to understand. I am the Mayor, so I can take what ever I like. But the citizens have to work for their food." Piper stared in disgust at the Mayor and pushed her food away. "Miss, not eating will not change the laws of this town."

Piper would have replied if not for the look she revived from Aerrow.

"Actually Sir, we were hoping you could help us find some one who attacked us. We think that she might live here."

"Do you say you think she lived here. Oh I don't think so. None of my citizens would ever leave the town, it is forbidden."

"Actually Sir, there is one girl who might do such a thing."

One of the Mayors guard said.

"Oh and who is that?"

" Bambino Di Canzoni Sir. She has three infractions against her already. Two for fighting and another for attempting to leave the town."

"Bambino Di Canzoni...Bambino...Di...Canzoni? Why do I know that name?"

"Sir she is the girl that lives on the outskirts."

"Oh yes, the outcast. Go and bring her here."

"Sir, she's in the middle of the shift. She will be in the mines."

"So?"

"It will be nearly impossible to find her until the shift is over?"

"Fine how long until the shift is over?"

"Two hours."

"Then bring her here after the shift." The guard turned to walk away but the Mayor stopped him. "You know what, she will probably be fifthly, take her to jail and then come and take us there."


	6. Chapter Six

Aerrow stared in complete disbelief at the room he had been given, he was positive that he could fit five of his normal rooms inside it and still have leg room.

"This is ridicules!" Aerrow said, dropping down on to the bed. "Absolutely ridiculous."

"Aerrow?" Piper called through the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure Piper." Aerrow walked to the door and opened it. "So how's your room?"

"A lot smaller then yours. Jeez, what is with this town! The people are starving and living in conditions not good enough for animals, and the mayor is sitting in this house with all this food and money!"

Aerrow watched as Piper paced the room, infuriated by the mayors actions.

"Piper, that's the way this town works. We just need to find this girl and get out of here."

"Aerrow we can't just leave them! It goes against everything that we believe in, against everything you swore to protect!"

"I know Piper! I know. But we have to find Cyclonis."

"If you are so focused on finding Cyclonis, they why are we wasting time looking for some girl?" Aerrow did not answer, he knew the answer it was because she had threatened Piper and Aerrow didn't want to let that stand, but telling Piper this wouldn't do them any good. "Aerrow I know you want to help them just as much as I do."

"Piper, I want to help them, but we can't save everyone all the time. We're only human."

"Dudes! These rooms are amazing!"

Finn and Junko burst into Aerrow's room, Stork followed after them hesitantly. He looked like he expected something to jump out of the walls or floor and attack them, and knowing Stork he probably did.

"Finn! How can you like this when you know what it is built off of."

"What's it built off of?"

"Slave labor!"

"Oh...That doesn't make it any less amazing!"

Aerrow and Piper looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Aerrow, just a warning, you should keep a close watch on Radarr. I saw some Pitarian fire ants on the way over here, and they will eat any...small animals."

Radarr jumped off the bed and on to Aerrow's shoulders with an indigent chirp as he woke up to see Stork looming over him.

"Uh, thanks Stork. I'll uh keep a look out."

Aerrow said placing a hand on Radarr's head.

"I have a question. What are you going to do if the girl they are talking about really is the girl that was on the Condor?"

"I don't know." The Storm Hawks sighed. "Yet! I don't know yet! I have two hours. I'll think of something."

"Oh you will?"

"Yeah Piper you know me?"

Aerrow said smiling.

Two hours came and went and still Aerrow hadn't thought of anything. He was pacing the room talking to Radarr when there was a knock on the door.

"Sir, I am to inform you that Bambino Di Canzoni has been found and is on her way to the jail. If you could please open the door and come with me." Aerrow opened the door to find himself staring at the other Storm Hawks and another man in a suit. "Thank you."

The man turned and walked down the hall.

"Aerrow did you think of something?"

"I have an idea."

"You don't have a clue what you are going to do, do you?"

"Nope."

The Mayor met them down in the front hall.

"Ah yes, we are all here. Now let us go see who has broken the rules? Shall we?"

Bam walked off the elevator to be greeted by two guards.

"Bambino Di Canzoni?"

"Yes?"

"You are to come with us?"

"Why?"

One of the guards struck out and a gloved hand crossed Bam's face.

"You will not ask questions, you will only come."

"And if I refuse?"

The guards looked at each other and grabbed Bam's arms.

"You don't have the ability of refusing in this."

Bam looked back at people who worked the shift with her, back at the worried faces behind her. She knew full well what they all were thinking, the only time that two guards came for some one after a shift is when they have done something bad enough that it deserves full punishment. They all also knew that Bam had three strikes against her.

Bam walked between the two guards in to the jail cell.

"So what did I do this time?"

"Nothing."

"So why am I here?"

"The Mayor wants to see you."

"The Mayor? Our Lord and Master? Well you'll excuse me when I don't applaud!"

The guard reached through the bars and his hard connected with Bam's face again, she fell back against the wall.

"You will show respect to the Mayor!"

"I will do my best, but I can't promise that it will be enough."

The guards glared at Bam and walked away. Bam waited until they were gone to spit to the side, blood was mixed with her saliva.

"Great, just great." Bam didn't mean the blood nor did she mean the fact that she was in jail...again. What Bam was really worried about was the fact that she was supposed to go see the strangers today. "This is going to be hard to explain." Bam stared pacing, trying to think of what she would say. "Hey guys, sorry I didn't show yesterday. I was in jail, and I didn't even do anything this time. Yes I know its the third time in the past year, and I am sorry about that...and they will never believe that." Bam sat down on the small cot in the cell. "What about, Hey, I have a very good explanation for why I didn't show yesterday. You see I was thrown in jail for something I didn't even do. The guards just picked me up after my shift and threw me in jail, I didn't even do anything this time." Bam sighed, fell back on the cot, and closed her eyes, with her eyes closed her entire face was black with soot. "I hate lying to them."

"Lying to who?" Bam shot up and found her self looking into the greedy eyes of the mayor, a quick glance behind him showed the Storm Hawks. Bam cursed to herself. She knew that anyone who left the village was given the death sentence and here were a bunch of kids who could tell the Mayor that she did. "Girl who exactly are you going to be lying to?"

"Now why in the world would I tell you that?"

The mayor glared at Bam.

"Well young Sir's and Madam, is this the girl who attacked you?"

"I can't really tell." Aerrow came right up to the cell doors and stared at Bam. "She could be~~~"

Aerrow was unable to finish the sentence as an explosion filled the small jail. Bam felt a hand grab the back of her jacket and pull her back.

"Come on girly! Get moving!"


	7. Chapter Seven

"Piper!" Aerrow called through the smoke. "Piper!"

Piper had been standing next to Aerrow when the explosion happened, but now she was gone.

"Aerrow!"

The call came weakly somewhere to Aerrow's left. Aerrow made his way over to her voice and as the smoke slowly cleared he saw Piper was laying under a hulking piece of stone.

"Piper!" Aerrow tried to lift the rock by himself. "Junko, come help me with this!"

Junko appeared from the smoke.

"Right."

Junko banged his fist together, activating his Knuckle Busters, and all but flung to rock at the apposing wall. Even before the rock was thrown, Aerrow was at Piper's side.

"Piper are you all right?"

Aerrow asked quickly giving Piper the once over to make sure that there was no lethal harm done.

"I'm fine."

Piper tried to stand, but when she put pressure on her right arm she cried out and fell against Aerrow.

"Oh yeah Piper, you're just fine."

Finn said, supporting a half unconscious Stork.

"What happened to Stork?"

Piper asked.

"Don't know. I found him like this."

"DON'T EAT THE MUSHROOMS!"

Stork yelled out.

"Piper, I'm going to look at your arm, okay?"

Aerrow asked, completely ignoring the outburst from the pilot. Piper nodded and Aerrow carefully lifted up Pipers arm, there was a small bump about half way up her lower arm.

"Ah...Piper, do you still have the Nil Crystal that Gundstaff gave you?"

"Yeah?"

"Good. Where is it?"

"In my crystal lab."

"Okay Finn, first put Stork down, take your skimmer and go back to the Condor to get it."

"Where is it again?"

Finn asked, the only reason he didn't argue was because of his worry for Piper.

"It should still be in it's case. It's in the cabinet against the right wall. The case say Nil on it so you shouldn't have to much trouble finding it."

Finn lowered Stork to the ground, turned, and ran out of the jail.

"Okay Piper, you're the smart one, what do we need to do to make sure the crystal works?"

"You need to set my arm." Piper smiled at the confused look on Aerrow's face. "You need to pop the bone back in to place." Piper laughed at the looks on her friends face. "And then you need to brace it."

More confused looks. "Okay, find two straight pieces of wood that go the length of my arm. Once you found them place them on either side of my arm and then wrap something tightly around my arm."

It took a second for the information to sink in.

"Okay, Junko can you find the wood?"

"Sure Aerrow."

"Aerrow, you're going to have to pop the bone back you know."

Piper said looking at Aerrow with a kind of worry.

"This is going to hurt right?"

"It should yeah."

"And you're sure you want me to do this?"

"Yes Aerrow."

"Wouldn't it be better if a doctor did this?"

"Maybe. But I don't want a doctor to do this, I want you to."

Aerrow stopped fussing over Pipers arms.

"What?"

"I want you to set my arm Aerrow."

"Why?"

"Because I trust you. And because I doubt there is a qualified doctor in this town."

Aerrow laughed, which made Piper laugh.

"What's going on?"

Junko had come back, a pile of random sized sticks.

"Junko I said two sticks!"

"But I couldn't find two that were the right size."

"It's all right Junko." Piper said sifting through the pile with her good arm. She handed Aerrow one stick and then another. "What about the wrapping?"

"Uh." Aerrow looked around him. "What about this."

Aerrow pulled his shirt over his head.

"That would work fine."

Piper said, trying to hid her blush.

They Mayor came upon the Storm Hawk's just after Aerrow had finished setting Piper's arm. A normal human being would be concerned about Pipers arm, but the mayor was more concerned about that fact the Aerrow was more fit then he was.

"Ah there you are. But where is young master Finn?"

"Here I am!" Finn came crashing in to the jail on his skimmer, nearly hitting the Mayor. "And here is the crystal."

Finn held out the crystal.

"Ah Finn...Uhh...that's the wrong crystal."

Piper said.

"What? It was in the cabinet!"

"Was it in the case that said 'Nil'?"

"Uhh..."

"Sir's and Ma'am. I wish to go after the girl, so if you are alright?"

"Yeah were fine."

"Good, you three find that girl. And you two...take me home...I'm sure that you can find your way back to your ship."

The Mayor turned and walked out of the jail.

"What happened? Why am I on the floor?"

Stork said sitting up from the floor.


	8. Chapter Eight

Piper had to ride with Aerrow, as she could not ride her heliscooter with a broken arm, and needless to say she liked the heliscooter better.

"How do you stand that?"

Piper said after Aerrow helped her off his skimmer.

"What? It's fun!"

"Aerrow doing three barrel rolls is not fun! I get it if we're in the middle of a fight, but that's the only time I understand it!"

"Ah come on Piper, you have to admit you had a little fun."

"No I don't."

Piper sped up her steps so that she was a couple steps ahead of Aerrow. She heard a couple chirps from Radarr and Aerrow replying.

"I don't know Radarr?"

Piper turned the corner and when she didn't hear Aerrow follow her she assumed that he was going to get a new shirt, as his old one was still wrapped around her arm. Piper made her way through the Condor to her crystal lab to put the blaster crystal that Finn had grabbed back in its case and got the Nil Crystal off the top shelf. Once she had the small crystal given to her by Gundstaff she walked to the medical center and found Aerrow, still shirtless, getting everything ready to make a proper cast.

"Aerrow why didn't you go get a new shirt?"

"Radarr's on it." Just then Radarr ran in to the room holding a shirt. "See?" Aerrow took the shirt from Radarr and pulled it over his head. "Now will you please sit down so that I can get a real cast on you?" Piper stuck her tongue out at Aerrow and crossed her arms as best as she could, Aerrow stared at her with one raised eyebrow. "Piper? Really?" Piper didn't answer and Aerrow sighed. "Okay, you asked for this."

Aerrow nodded to Radarr, who jumped on to Piper's back, and started tickling her. Piper laughed and once her balance was off Aerrow grabbed her good arm and forced her into sitting on the bed.

"Okay that was cheating."

Piper said, glaring at Aerrow as he unwrapped his shirt from Pipers arm.

"No, that was creative strategy."

Aerrow set aside the two sticks and pulled an purplish blue crystal out of his pocket.

"That's an X-Ray Crystal! Where did you get that?"

"I found it in the market at the last town we went to. I was going to give it to you on your birthday but I figured that you could make good use of it now. So how do you use it?"

"Well first we need the projector."

"Radarr can you go get the projector?"

Radarr chirped an answer and left the room. Soon he came back, pushing the projector in front of him.

"Okay now there should be a cord at the base of the projector."

"This thing?" Aerrow said pulling the cord out slightly. "I always wondered what this was for."

Piper smiled.

"Well place the crystal in the clips and turn on the projector. Then you just wave the crystal over my arm."

"Okay, now that is cool."

Aerrow said as he slowly passed the crystal over Pipers broken arm, looking up at the wall where the projector was pointing.

"X-Ray crystals are really rare. I can't believe you found one."

"Well happy early birthday Piper."

There were two people crouching in the undergrowth of the forest by Bam's house. One was Bam herself and her companion was an older man with long black hair and brown eyes. His pointed ear had a dagger earning hanging from it, and on his hip there were even more daggers

"I don't know why you love that bike so much. It's nothing like what I used to ride.

Bam looked at her companion with a look of disbelief.

"Riles you fell from the sky. Are you sure that you didn't hit your head and are imaging things?"

"Quite girly. We know where we come from."

"Right." The plants to Bam's left rustled, Bam and Riled stiffened. Another man emerged from the growth, this one had short blond hair, green eyes, and a scar underneath his left eye. He carried a bow and a quiver of arrows on his back, and despite his bulky weapons he walked like a wold in the night.

"Mela! What is wrong with you! I thought I told you not to sneak up on people!"

"I wasn't."

An argument almost broke out between the two men but Bam put herself between them

"Mela, what did you see?"

"It doesn't seem like they are watching the house. But it was clear they had been there."

"Why would the just leave."

"I don't know Bam, I am just reporting what was seen."

"This is suspicious." Riles said sitting back against a tree. "Girly you should just come live with us in the old mines."

"I might have to this time." Riles almost responded but Bam was not done speaking. "But before I do I want my bike." Riles cursed in a language that Bam did not know, so Bam just patted Riles cheek. "It's not that bad Riles, just another thirty minutes of watching then if it's clear I will go in and get my bike then we can go."

"Why did boss set me up with you? I am not a baby sitter! I am a warrior!"

Bam tuned out Riles's complaints and turned to Mela.

"Why does he call your leader Boss?"

"I don't know? I was the last to join so Riles had already been calling him that. I just~~~"

"Never asked. Yeah."

Thirty five minutes later Bam, Riles, and Mela made there was back to the old mines completely unaware that they were being followed by three of the Storm Hawks.


	9. Chapter Nine

Aerrow and Fin followed Bam and her companions through the woods covered mountains, each of them wondering who these two men were. As they two young men struggled over the rough terrain they began discussing why the two men on either side of Bam looked familiar.

"I swear I've seen them somewhere before."

"Maybe a rock band?"

"No...I think they have something to do with the Sky Knights."

"But...there's no Sky Knights on this side, right?"

"Yeah, but still...there's something about them."

They were way into the mountains now, the town barely viable in the valley below them. Aerrow almost placed where we had seen the two men before when he felt the point of a spear against his back.

"Well well, looks like Bams little stunt attracted attention to us. Hands up." Aerrow looked at Finn, who already had his hands in the air and slowly put his hands up. "Turn around."

The two slowly turned only to come face to face with a half Merb half human who took in Aerrow in stunned silence. Aerrow took the lack of orders to ask a few questions.

"What do you want? And who are you?"

The Merb/human lowered his spear and took a step closer to Aerrow and reached out a hand as if to touch Aerrows face.

"...You look just like him..."

"Eh...what?"

"You're name is Aerrow. Right?"

"Yeah? How'd you know that?"

"You've gotta come with me. He'll be so happy to see you."

"Hang on a second! Who are you!"

Finn finally burst out and the Merb/human turned to look at him and Stork.

"I am Gasfauld, and you are?"

Aerrow stepped between Finn and Gasfauld, preventing Finn from saying something stupid.

"He's Finn. Now who do you want me to see?"

"He shouldn't be seeing anyone." Bam Riles and Mela had come back and both the men had their weapons trained on the young Storm Hawks. "Come on Gasfauld! They were staying with the Mayor, how can you even sanctify that?"

Riles and Mela slowly let their weapons drop as they took in Aerrow, their faces showing the same surprise as Gasfauld.

"Bam wait...don't you know who that is?"

"Some idiot I tried to steal from and now is looking for revenge with his fly-boy friend?"

Riles turned to look at Bam.

"Girly I thought you didn't do anything this time?"

Bam shrugged.

"I didn't, my thieving actions had nothing to do with why I was arrested."

"Yeah right! You almost killed Piper!"

Finn reached for his cross bow only to have Mela raise his bow in response.

"Try it. Let's find out who's the better shot."

Bam put a hand on Mela and Riles arms, effectively keeping Mela from shooting Finn and keeping Riles from jumping down her throat again.

"Okay first off if I wanted to kill the girl, she'd be dead. I just needed the leverage to get you idiots to do as I wanted. And secondly Riles I got arrested because they thought I left town, not because I did leave the town and broke in to their ship." Bam quickly turned and walked back to her bike, pushing it up the curved ground. "See you boys at the mine!"

"Well at least we know how she got away so fast now..."

Finn muttered.

"Listen guys, we just want her to explain why she threatened Piper and what she wants the Forever Crystal for?"

"The Forever Crystal?"  
"Don't tell me she's after that thing again!"

"She almost died last time! You'd figure she'd have learned her lesson by now."

"Uh...so you guys know about it?"

"Know about it! We're the one's who told her about it!...Well Gasfauld did, he's our crystal expert after all."

Riles explained while Mela looked down the mountain.

"Explain later Riles. Looks like the guards are still searching and if they find us..."

"They'll find Bam."

Gasfauld quickly put his spear on his back and began moving up the mountain.

"Quickly you two, we need to hide until we can figure this all out."


	10. Chapter Ten

Aerrow's instincts were beating a tattoo into the base of his skull, something was coming and whatever it was, it was big. He glanced over at Finn and saw something on his face that was rarely there, determination.

"You feel it to?"

"What? That something bigger than anything we've ever dealt with before is happening? Yeah. Any that "Bam" girl is tied up in it. What kinda name is "Bam" anyway."

"A nickname."

Mela shorted his pace and walked along side the two young men.

"Why would she have the nickname "Bam"? Does she like to blow stuff up?"

Mela laughed.

"No, Bams full name is Bambino Di Canzoni but she doesn't like to be called that so we call her Bam."

"Bambino Di Canzoni?"

"Means "Child of Songs" Apparently Bam was born on some festival of songs."

"So her parents named her "Child of Songs?"

"My parents didn't name me anything. That town killed them before they could."

Bam walked out of an old mine, rubbing a towel on her face to get rid of the soot.

"You're an orphan?"

"Yep. My dad died in a mine accident before I was even born and my mom caught a fever while she was pregnant. Died a couple minutes after I was born."

"So who named you?"

"No one, I have no name. But people needed something to call me so they just said I was the Child born on the day of songs. Or the "Child of Songs". Honestly I hate that name."

"So why don't you change it."

"Cause these idiots wont let me."

Bam took a swipe at Riles as he walked past her, smiling slightly as she does so. Aerrow noticed the smile and how relaxed Bam seemed as opposed to how tense she had seemed on the Condor and in town.

" _Somethings different here. For some reason she's completable here."_

Aerrow thought as he watched the raven haired girl laugh at Gasfauld paranoia.

"You people are so strange sometimes! I swear I almost believe your stories."

"They're not "stories" Girly. We're telling you the truth."

"Of course you are Riles, just like I'm telling you the truth when I say that you hit your head pretty hard when you fell into these old mines."

Bam and Riles walked back into the mine laughing and arguing as they did so, Gasfauld following them but Mela stayed out side with Aerrow and and Finn, looking them over.

"You really do look like him Aerrow...and from what I can see from this one, you got a good team under you."

Aerrow flashed Finn a confused look.

"Eh...right. Who do I look like?"

"You'll see as soon as he and Capault come back from hunting. Until then, why don't we go get the rest of your squadron and get them back here. We'll make a party out of it."

"Are you sure? Bam didn't seem to want us here."

"Well Bam's not in control around here, I am. At least until the boss gets back." Riles walked back out of the mine. "So Mela, you wanna bring these kids here?"

"Yes. It's obvious who they are, he'll be mad if we don't and we can't exclude the rest of their team."

"Fine, take Gasfauld with you, I'll stay here with Bam and make sure she gets over this "Forever Crystal business once and for all."

Aerrow felt was careful around Mela, this man he knew nothing of was suddenly taking them back to where they had parked the condor.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Why am I doing what?"

Aerrow gestured around him.

"This? Why are you letting us get our friends and inviting us to a...party?"

"You'll understand soon enou—Oh the Condor." Mela walked up to the large ship and touched it lightly muttering something under his breath. "She's beautiful as ever."

"Wait...you've seen the Condor before?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, once or twice."

Mela walked up the gang plank and Finn looked at Aerrow.

"Storks gonna love him."

The two boys had the same realization at the same time.

"Stork!"

They ran inside to find Mela trapped in a net.

"Sorry, our pilot has booby traps all over the place. We should have warned you."

Aerrow said, quickly releasing the trap.

"No no, I should have waited for you before just going in. Sorry, I have some bad manners don't I.

It wasn't long before Junko and Stork ran into the room and Aerrow had to explain what had happened at the old mine. Stork instantly thought that Mela was really some kind of changeling and went off to find his repellent, muttering things about doom and certain doom. A happy chirp sounded in the door way and Radar jumped into Aerrow's arms, quickly taking his place at Aerrow's shoulder.

"Hey Radar, how's Piper?"

"Piper? Would she be the girl that Bam attacked?" Mela asked, the looks he received were answer enough "Ah, yes. Sorry about her, Bam's...well Bam's difficult to manage"

"She held a knife to Pipers throat!"

Finn cried out.

"But she didn't actually do anything...did she?"

"She ruined my collection of Atmos' most deadly fungi."

Stork said as he creeper back up to the group in his normal creepy manner.

"Well besides that." Mela said, giving Stork that since he knew how Merbs were like. "She didn't actually hurt your friend, right?"

"No she didn't." Piper said walking up to the group. "But still, she did break in to our ship."

"Well Bams always had a curious streak and lately that's led to her breaking into places. We've tried to get her to stop but she just doesn't listen. Come on, myself and my comrades would like to make up for Bams actions by inviting you all over for a party."

It wasn't long before all of the Storm Hawks were standing out side the old mine while Mela went in to "introduce them" as he put it.

"This is where they live?"

"Yeah, but watch out. I don't trust them, something about this whole thing seems off to me. They're hiding something"

There was a commotion inside the mine and Aerrow automatic stepped to the side, shielding Piper from what ever was coming. A tall red haired man burst from the cave and took in the small group, his eyes resting on Aerrow in shock. The Storm Hawks were in equal shock.

"No way..."

Finn said.

"It can't be..."

Junko mumbled.

"Must be the gasses around here..."

Stork said rubbing his eyes.

"Aerrow that's...that's..."

Piper said stepping out from behind Aerrow.

"Lighting Strike..."

The young leader breathed.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Lightning Strike stood stalk still in shock, something that Aerrow mirrored. Aerrow had always knew that Lightning Strike was his father but had never told the other Storm Hawks, he had even feigned surprise when the Guardians had told him. And even though he knew this Aerrow had never seen him as his father, after all how can a man who was never there be considered a father. Bam walked out of the mine behind Lighting Strike, her long black hair freed from the ponytail and a smile on her face. She looked between Aerrow and Lighting Strike curiously.

"Hm...I can see the resemblance."

Lighting Strike looked at the girl next to him.

"Why did you attack them?"

He asked and Aerrow had to give Bam credit, she did not falter under Lighting Strikes gaze.

"Because I figured they would have something I want."

"The Forever Crystal."

"Yeah, I get that...I can fix everything."

"It's a myth Bam."

"So's your supposed 'other side.' but you guys insist on trying to get back." Before Lighting Strike could responded Bam walked back into the cave with a wave. "If you don't want the guards to find your kid you may wanna get them inside soon."

The Storm Hawks saw Lighting Strikes jaw clench slightly as he turned to them.

"She's right. We can talk inside."

The man stood to the side and ushered the group of teens inside the old mine. They were surprised to see it had been turned into a living space, and a nice one at that. Riles Mela and Gasfauld were sitting on the ground talking to a a woman with long black hair that was braided down over her shoulder, pointed ears, and golden eyes and lips. The woman was busy carving up a boar but she laughed along with the men, Bam was sitting next to her smiling slightly but never laughing with the group.

"You guys are...the original Storm Hawks...?"

Piper said breathlessly, looking from Lightning Strike to the group of people sitting around the fire. Lighting Strikes mouth twitched, the corners raising ever so slightly.

"Yes. That's Riles, my second. Mela, our sharpshooter. Gasfauld, out crystal expert, and Capault our pilot and engineer."

"This is Finn, my wing-man and our sharpshooter. Piper, our crystal expert. Junko, our engineer and heavy ballistics. Stork, our pilot. And this is Radarr, my co-pilot."

Lighting Strike nodded to each of them and scratched Radarr under the chin as the woman stood and walked over to the younger Storm Hawks, she looked them over going from one person to the next.

"These are our replacements? Jeez, I bet they don't even know how to fly the Condor right."

Stork bristled at the comment.

"You think I don't know how to fly my ship?"

" _Your_ ship! HA! You think that the Condor belongs to you? Listen here little Merb, I was flying that ship before you were even born."

"Well I've been taking care of her for years! I flew her out of the Dark Gorge and into battle against the Cyclonians and-"

"Alright alright, spare me the war stories kid. She's still my ship."

"Oh yeah!"

"Yeah."

Capault and Stork were about two inches from each others face when Lighting Strike and Aerrow separated them.

"Calm down Stork."

"Capault the Condor is theirs now." Both pilots glares at each other but backed down. Lighting Strike and Aerrow sighed. "I see you have the same problems I had."

"Y-Yeah...But, we've gotten through them all."

The two Sky Knights watched as the two groups slowly intermingled, the teens each going to the person they had replaced. Aerrow watched Piper carefully as she talked to Gasfauld smiling slightly as Piper became more animated.

"You got a good team Aerrow..." Aerrow shifted awkwardly at the compliment, he was aware that Lighting Strike was just as uncomfortable. "Is your mother alright?"

Aerrow looked down at the mention of the only parent he had ever knew.

"She died when I was ten in a Cyclonian raid."

"Oh...I had hoped that by leaving the Cyclonians would leave you and your mother alone...I guess that didn't really work out the way I planned."

"No. It didn't."

Aerrow felt an uncharacteristic anger fill him, this man had left him and his mother when Aerrow was barely a few weeks old to 'protect the Atmos.' From where Aerrow stood, it was as if Lightning Strike had put Atmos over his family. Lightning Strike seemed to know what Aerrow was thinking because he placed his hand on Aerrows shoulder and looked into his eyes.

"Aerrow. I didn't want to leave you and your mother. That was the hardest decision I ever had to make."

"But you still made it."

The older Sky Knight sighed.

"I was trying to protect you. When you were born Aerrow...I realized that the world we lived in, it wasn't safe for you. I left to defeat Cyclonic so that you might have a safe future."

"Well my life had been anything but safe. I've been fighting Cyclonians for as long as I can remember."

"Yes, that was my fault...I put my trust in the wrong man."

"The Dark Ace."

Riles laughed.

"So is that what the pipsqueak is calling himself."

"Not anymore he's not." Aerrow looked down, still unable to come to terms with the fact that he saw the Dark Ace die for more power. "He died."

The original Storm Hawks when silent, he may have betrayed them but the Dark Ace had been their friend and the news of his death hit them hard.

"How?"

Capault asked.

"Cyclonis could do this thing called 'Binding' and-"

Bam interrupted him.

"Did you say Binding?"

"Yeah."

"Did Cyclonis use crystals to enhance this...'Dark Ace's' ability's?"

"Yeah. How did-"

"Can any of you use that power?"

Bam was standing now, excitement shining through her eyes.

"Piper can but..."

Bam turned to Piper.

"Show me."

"What? Why?"

Piper looked to Aerrow and then back at Bam.

"Just show me."

Piper looked back to Aerrow and he nodded so Piper took out a crystal and took a deep breath, pointing the small green crystal at Aerrow.

"Titans might!"

Aerrow is feels strength coarse through him and he easily picks up a bolder and puts it back down before Piper stops the flow of power.

"No way..."

The original Storm Hawks look at Bam in confusion.

"What's up Bam?"

"That's...Piper, that was magic."


	12. Chapter Twelve

Silence filled the small cave as the Storm Hawks froze.

'Is...is it bad that I can do it?'

Aerrow's jaw clenched slightly at the worry in Pipers voice, he knew that she was thinking about how Cyclonis had told Piper that it was a dark art.

'Bad? Who the hell told you using magic like that is bad?'

'Bam, why are you so excited about this?'

Riley asked from his spot on the ground.

'That form of magic, Binding, it's really rare. Rare then my magic.' Smiles formed on the orginal Storm Hawks lips at Bam's excitement. 'But...Why would you think that being able to use binding magic is bad?'

'Cyclonis could use it to, she told me that it was dark.'

Bam looked at Piper in confusion for a second before throwing her head back, laughing. The adults around her looked at the raven haired girl in confusion.

'Wanna share what's so funny?'

Lightning Strike asked, an amused look on his face.

'Dark Magic.' Sera laughed again. 'Oh...your Cyclonis is a idiot. No magic is good or evil, the way it is used is. Where one may use their magic to steal form others and other may use the same magic to save lives. I use my magic to save mens lives in the mines and use the same exact magic to get on to your ship. Good and evil are purely human traits, no other living thing has it.'

'Magic is...alive?'

Finn tilted his head, clearly confused.

'Of course.' Bam pushes herself off the wall she had been leaning on and walks over to Piper. 'You know it to. You've felt that pulse in the back of your mind, and as your energy drains the pulse gets stronger until it is a never ending beat.'

Aerrow steps forward slightly, ready to tell Bam off for scaring Piper when Lighting Strike places a hand on his sons shoulder.

'Wait, this could be good for both of them.'

The mans green eyes were trained on the two young women.

'What do you mean?'

'Bam uses a form of Binding Magic, but it's rare and she's never met someone else who can use it. This could help your friend understand what she can do and it might satisfy Bam's need to push herself to the point of death.'

'The point of death.'

Lighting Strike looks at Aerrow at the worry in the young mans voice.

'Don't worry, nothing will happen to Piper. Bam will make sure of that.'

'I heard that old man.'

Bam was watching them, a slight smile on her lips.

'Old man?'

Bam's smile grows but she ignores Lighting Strike, focusing on Aerrow.

'Binding is...dangerous yes. But only if you don't know what you're doing. I'm sure you remember when Piper first started using it, how weak she got? That's the affect of it, where other magic feeds on the crystals you use Binding Magic feeds on your own strength. Around here we train people who can use Binding for years before letting them even touch a crystal, just to make sure their first attempt doesn't kill them. Since Pipers alive you shouldn't have to worry about her dying from using the magic unless she does it to often.'


End file.
